LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Sunday

Feb 10, 2013 at 12:01 AMFeb 10, 2013 at 2:05 AM

The Rachel Rice story told in the Mail Tribune is just one of many life stories told of the mentally ill. This article tells of those fighting the inherited mental illness diseases. With closed mental health hospitals, caregivers have few options. A three-day hospitalization is not a curing solution.

The Rachel Rice story told in the Mail Tribune is just one of many life stories told of the mentally ill. This article tells of those fighting the inherited mental illness diseases. With closed mental health hospitals, caregivers have few options. A three-day hospitalization is not a curing solution.

The revolving door mentioned in the article shows how the mentally ill go from arrest to a three-day hospitalization, back to the same life, sometimes to the street, only to re-enter the same cycle. These adults in episodes can't take care of themselves. Most have a family member to help them, but those struggling from day to day cannot cope with their diseases alone.

One local organization, the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Southern Oregon, helps those afflicted and the caregiver by offering education, a mental health library open to the public and support groups for the mentally ill and caregivers. NAMI-Southern Oregon advocates for the mental health court and clubhouse proposals. This all-volunteer organization may be contacted at 541-774-8772 or P.O. Box 8018, Medford, OR 97501. — Vern Weaver, former president, NAMI-Southern Oregon and former director of the Hawthorne Center

As a parent of Madrone Trail Public Charter School, my thoughts have been clouded by the numerous reports about the school in the Mail Tribune beginning in 2012.

In an attempt to draw an accurate picture of the situation I have attended a variety of meetings and talked with numerous parents and faculty including the director, Joe Frodsham. The makeup of the board and money are the two main concerns and are now being addressed. The parent body has no concern about the quality of education or what is going on in the classrooms. There is a consensus of faith in the director and faculty.

I have faith that all involved will coalesce in the common goal of providing our children the best education. We are coming together as a whole in good faith.

The Madrone Trail community will work past the perception of infighting by the larger community, exacerbated by the Mail Tribune, and once again forge a reputation of respect and admiration. No one involved with the school wants our charter denied by the district. We will resolve our issues. Madrone Trail Public Charter School will go forward. — Linda Ford, Medford

I guess no one in our community is going to address the story that ran recently on the Marin County person who put a dog in the oven and almost killed it.

This has haunted me, and I want to say this 20-year-old person should be put in a psychiatric unit and not a jail. How many times do we see this inhumane treatment of animals and not see what it leads to? The family covers the mental illness up or they simply do not have an avenue or place to lock up these people, and they should be locked up!

No animal or child should have to suffer like this. The kid is living with his grandmother, probably because he has burned all bridges. Please let something happen to him that is more than a slap on the wrist. Is anyone else out there who wants to put some money into mental lockup and put some teeth and money into caring for the mentally ill? Stop the social stigma and recognize it is here among us in Sandy Hook, Columbine and the other many examples of waiting until something happened before recognizing the kid had a problem. — Patty Davis, Medford